Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-11-12
CHAPTER XXU.-CoNrINrED

CHAPTER NNll--ONTTNrED
Un Ne van,e. .axng MN AT his word. anG
drove the tig spear with such force Al Cm
slopogaas that it sunk right through thu
tough shield and pierced him in the neck
The Zulu cast down the transfixsd shield, ant
that moment was Agon's last, for before hs
could free his spear and strike again, with q
shout Of there's for thee, rain maker 7
Umslopogaas giiped lnkosi-kaas with bott
hands, and whirled her on high and drove
her right on to his venerable head, so tha,
Agon rolled down dead among the corpses oi
his fellow murderers, and there was an end
Of him and his plots together. And wen a,
he fell a great cry rose from the foot Of the
STAIR and looking out through the portion OF
the doorway that was Yet unclosed we saw
armed men rushing up t. the rescue. and
called an answer to their shouts THEN the
would be murderers who vet remained on the
stairway. and among whom saw several
priests turned to fiy, but, having nowhere C
20, were butchered as they fed Only one
man stayed. and he Was the great lord Nasta,
Nyleptha's suitor, and the father Of the plot.
For q moment the black bearded Nasta stood
with bowed face leaning on his long sword as
though in despair, and then, with dreadful
shout, he too rush d up at the Zulu, and,
swinging the gil tering sword around his
head, dealt him such a mighty blow beneath
his guard that the kecn steel of the heavy
blade bit right through the chain armor and
deep into Umslopogaas side, for a moment
paralyzing him and causing him to drop
his ax.
Raising the sword again, Nasta sprang for
ward TO make an end of him, but little he
knew his Zoe. With a shake and veil Of
fury, the Zulu gathered himself together and
sprang straight at Nssta's throat, as have
sometimes seen a wounded lion spring. He
struck him full as his foot was on the top
most stair, and his long arms closing round
him like iron bands. down they rolled to-
gether struggling furiously. Nasta was q
strong man and desperate, but he could not
match the strongest man in Zululand, sore
wounded though he was, whose strength was
o the strength Of q bull. In a minute the
end came. saw old Umslopogaas stagger to
his feet-ay. and saw him, by a single gigan-
tic effort. swing mp the struggling Nasta,
and. with a shout Of triumph, hurl him
straight over the rarapet Of tine bridge, to ~
crushed to powder on the rocks 200 feei BE-
low
The succor which had Teen summoned by
the girl who had passed down the stair befors
the aEassins passed up was a, hand, and the
loud shouts which reached us from the outer
mates told us that the town was also armss.a
and tho men wakenei by the women were
cal,ins to he admitted. Some of Nylerthas
b-sve ladies. who, In their night shifts and
nth their long hair streaming down
their backs, lust as they had been
aroused from rest, had worked So gal
lantly At blocking the passage through the
wall, went of to admit them at the side
entrance, while others, assisted by the resc,.
ing party outside, rushed and pulled down
the marble blocks thev had placed there with
% much labor
Soon the wall was down again, and through
the doorway, followed BY a crowd OF res
cuers, staggered old Umsloposaas, an awful,
and. in . way. a glorious figure The man
was . mass Of wounds, and a glance at his
Wild eye told me that be was diving. The
~keshia' gum ring upon his head was severed
In two places by sword cuts. one Just over the
curious hole in his skull, and the blood poured
down his face from the ga-hes. Also, on the
right sde Of his neck Was . stab from .
spear. inflicted by Agon: there WAS q deep
cut on his left arm just helow where the mail
shirt sleeve stopped. and OH the right side Of
his body the arnor was severed by u cash six
inches long where Nas,as mighty su ord had
bitten through IL and dep into its wearers
vitAls
On, AZ In hand, he staggered, that dreadful
looking, splendid savage, and the ladies for. |
got 70 turn faint at the scene Of blood. and
chss1ed him. as well they might, bus be never
sayed Or needed. With outstretched arms
and tottering gait he pursued bis way. fol. |
lowed by US all along the broad shell strewn !
walk that ran through the court yard, past
the spoS where the blocks Of marble lay, !
through the round arched doorway and the .
thick curtains that hung within it, down tho ,
short passage and into the great hall, which 4
was now filling with hastily armed men, who
poured through the side entrance. Straight
up the ball he went, leaving behind him Q
track OF blood on the marble pavement, till
It last he reached the sacred stone, which
stood in the center OF 1t, and here his strength
seemed to fail him, for he stopped and leaned
upon bis Ak Then suddenly bs lifted up his
vo:,e and cried aloud:
Il die, ! debut it was a kingly fray
Where are they who came up the great stair.
l see them not. Art thou there. Macuma
Eahn, or art thou gone before to wait for me
In the dark whittier l go' The blood blinds
me-the place turns rouud-I hear the voice
Of ~aters.'
Next. as though a new thought had struck
him, be lifted the red AK and kissed the blade
! ! ! ! ! ! ! : !. 1 .